We are surrounded by many great (coffee) bars and food spots here in Antwerp, which are your favourites, and which ones do we need to check out?

Tim: Absolutely, our wonderful neighbours, Kolonel Coffee, have become dear friends over the years. During the pandemic, we shared our terraces: they occupied ours during the day while we used theirs at night. We help each other out when necessary.

Pavan: At the beginning, everyone in the community helped us out. We had no prior experience in running a restaurant. Neither of us had even worked in one. Lynn and David from Camino, who were then at Walrus, provided us with valuable advice and showed us the ropes. That’s the kind of relationship we want to have with fellow restaurant owners. As you can imagine, we have spent a lot of time at Camino, not just for the amazing food but also because they have become good friends. It is definitely one of our favorite places in the city.

Tim: Three to four times a week, you can find us in Chinatown around dinner Time. Some of our favourites are Kunthun, Bai Wei, and Da Jia Le, the Malaysian noodle bar. If we are not in Chinatown, we definitely choose Camino. For traditional Belgian cuisine, Den Arme Duivel is our go-to!

Starting from a food truck to multiple restaurant locations. Was there a specific “we made it” moment, when you realized Mission Masala was bigger than you imagined?

Pavan: There was no proper plan. I strongly believe that the universe provides what you deserve. Things happen for a reason, revealing signs along the way. We would unlock one door, and then another would open.

Tim: Exactly, there was never a plan. Just like there was no plan for a baby (laughs). While driving past, I noticed a for sale sticker on what is now our Antwerp location. So we pulled the trigger. The same is true for our Gent location. While exploring Brussels for a new restaurant location, I ran into my former boss from Polé Polé, who told me about a property for sale in Gent. It felt like destiny.

We try to allow things to unfold as naturally as possible and prefer not to force anything.

In 2024, the Bombay BBQ location won the Gault & Millau Belgium H!P (Hospitality People) Award of the Year. How did it feel to win this award, and how important is hospitality to you?

Pavan: It was a big moment, not just for us, but for Indian food in Belgium. It also helped shift the perception. We’re not building a chain of restaurants, our aim is to build quality restaurants that introduce Belgians to the Indian palette. And hospitality is a big part of that.

There’s an Indian saying: Atithi Devo Bhava, meaning Guests are God. That is exactly how we try to run things, from the moment someone walks in, to when they leave. As we grow, it becomes more challenging to align every employee to the same standards, yet the service must reflect the dedication we invest in all aspects. Our enthusiasm must resonate with everyone we engage with. Therefore, it was rewarding to receive acknowledgement for our collective efforts and hard work.